


facade

by keijitrash



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Character Death, F/M, M/M, Mentioned Asra (The Arcana), Minor Asra/Reader, Poetic, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 02:16:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19347505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keijitrash/pseuds/keijitrash
Summary: You whisper lies into his ears -I love you, I love you, I love you- and not once does it occur to Lucio how easily you give yourself to him; as if you had something planned.





	facade

**i.**

When you arrive in his bedchambers, there is blood on the floor. You don't wonder whose it is, or how it came to be there. When you dip down to bow, his eyes gleam with interest, and when you lift your face up, he is suddenly all too close for comfort but you don't let it show. The Count of Vesuvia regards you with a strange fascination.

He presses his lips against yours experimentally—

Your mind races and your pulse quickens and your breath hitches but you supress all of these down.

—you don't stop him.

**ii.**

The Cards whispers in your ears, words you cannot understand. You offer to give him a reading - nothing serious - and he takes up the offer because he is extremely bored and you've just become his most amusing toy to play with.

Seated on his crimson and gold bed, you shuffle the cards in your hands. You split the deck into three, ask him to chose among them, and then tell him to pick three cards from the stack.

You stop the laugh that threatens to escape your lips when you see the cards before you.

**iii.**

You do not give him your heart, but pretend that you do.

You whisper lies that easily come whenever he's around - _I love you, I love you, I love you_ \- and he basks in the attention that you give just for him. He trails kisses down from your jaw and to your bared neck, proud that he's made you submit to his every whim. His flesh hand brushes against your wrist where he could feel your pulse underneath his touch.

You tell him you love him even as his hands painfully circle around your neck.

**iv.**

The first time you see Asra since accepting to become whatever it is you are with the Count, his face is that of disappointment. He tries to hide it, but you can see through him anyway - he was your master for so long, how could you not?

You ask him for his patience.

He hopes he won't run out of it.

**v.**

You are draped in crimson and gold and Lucio has a knowing grin as he admires his accomplishment - _you_. His thumb traces the lines of your face and and the shape of your body and you shudder at his touch but don't pull away. His laugh rings in your ears when he captures your lips in a kiss.

You pretend you don't taste the blood on him as he easily gets what he wants from you.

You pretend you do not feel the sickening presence of death when he pulls you closer than you already are, and smile when he pulls away and presses his forehead against yours. He is grinning and you muster a smile before making the first move and pulling him into another heated kiss.

**vi.**

Your hands grow warmer as you touch the planes of his back and the curves of his chest and he groans at your ministrations.

His eyes are shut close while yours are wide open.

He doesn't notice it when flames begin to lick his body, or when it slowly starts to consume him. He is too busy thinking of how much he'd affected you - how much he'd changed you - and how much power he has over you. It's almost funny since he thinks of these things while dark embers slowly spread through his body.

When he screams and realizes this, it's already too late.

**vii.**

During his last moments, you tell him that you didn't love him with a cold smile in your face.

"I never did."

**o.**

You stand in front of your shop, a hand pressed against the wooden door. You bring down each protection spell you and Asra placed and push the door open.

Your Master greets you with a warm embrace, it nearly makes you want to pull away.

When news about the Count dying due to a fire spreads throughout the land, you do not care.

You don't even have to pretend that you don't.

**Author's Note:**

> I literally _cannot_ wait for Lucio's route hhskjdksbxks I'm in for some big character development
> 
> Edit: LITERALLY ON THE SAME DAY I WRITE THIS LUCIO'S ROUTE UNLOCKS IM CRYING TEARS OF JOY
> 
> Anyway, first try on some poetic-ish Lucio/Apprentice and I think it worked out... Kinda?
> 
> Welp, anyway, be sure to leave a comment below and share your thoughts + what you might want to see next!
> 
> ❤Rena


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